The Bulletproof Musician

One of the arguments often made for why we should memorize music, is that performing from memory facilitates more expressive performances. But is that really true?There's not a lot of direct data that speaks to this question, but there are some clues here and there, suggesting that the answer might be a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Get all the nerdy details right here:Can Memorizing Music Make You a More Expressive Performer?A course on how to develop “bulletproof” memory (registration ends 10/26/25)Most of us never learn how, but memorizing music is actually a concrete skill that can be learned. Discover a step-by-step, 3-phase, research-based framework for memorizing music that draws from the strategies that expert musicians and effective memorizers use to memorize music efficiently, and perform more confidently from memory - even under pressure.Get the Bulletproof Memory course (Public release ends October 26, 2025)ReferencesChaffin, R., Gerling, C. C., & Demos, A. P. (2024). How secure memorization promotes expression: A longitudinal case study of performing Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60. Musicae Scientiae, 28(4), 703-722. https://doi.org/10.1177/10298649241241405Williamon, A. (1999). The Value of Performing from Memory. Psychology of Music, 27(1), 84-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735699271008Woody, R. H. (2006). The effect of various instructional conditions on expressive music performance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 54(1), 21–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/002242940605400103More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses

Memory is a complex beast for musicians, with two main types playing a crucial role. One method can leave you stranded under pressure, making it unreliable during performances. Discover why some musicians memorize effortlessly while others struggle with slips. Learn about serial cueing and how nerves can disrupt it, alongside techniques like content-addressable access that create reliable performance cues. Finally, uncover how expert musicians map their pieces with purposeful practice, transforming memorization into a skill rather than a mystery.

Many musicians dread memory slips on stage, especially pianists. Research reveals that piano memorization can be trickier due to differences in instruments and environments. Context-dependent memory plays a huge role, as performance can suffer when switching pianos. A fascinating study showed that students experienced significant memory drops with different pianos. To enhance memory recall, practicing in varied contexts is crucial. Starting memory work early in learning also helps musicians perform confidently.

Talk to anyone who has ever performed from memory, and you’ll probably get a story of a time when their memory failed them. For instance, I remember a time, perhaps in elementary school, when I got lost in a piece on stage, and rather than stopping and looking over the pianist’s shoulder to see where I was, just started making stuff up, until I could figure out where I was. It wasn’t a very fun experience for me, but I think it actually freaked the pianist out even more. 😆One of the problems, was that I never learned how to memorize music. And not because my teachers were negligent in any way. We just didn’t really know that much back then about how memory works! But thanks to the efforts of several researchers in the last couple decades, we now know quite a bit about the most - and least - effective ways to get all those notes into and out of our brains.One of those researchers is Jane Ginsborg. And in today’s episode, Jane will share many key tips and details with us on the science of memorization, specifically as it relates to musicians. And because Jane’s background is in voice, there are some special nuances included for singers as well!Get all the nerdy details right here: Jane Ginsborg: On Building Stronger and More Reliable Musical MemoryA memory courseIf you'd like to learn more about the music memorization process and get more comfortable (and confident) performing from memory, you may be interested in the Bulletproof Memory course that will be released soon. You can join the waitlist for the limited public release right here.More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses

A pianist's teacher once advised them to forget everything learned, encouraging a trust in instincts over overthinking. The discussion contrasts internal focus during practice with external focus when performing, highlighting how pre-performance body awareness might lead to choking. A fascinating study reveals that switching from internal to external focus can boost performance, offering musicians practical cues for better execution. This mental shift aims to enhance confidence and freedom on stage.

Explore the fascinating intersection of performance anxiety and psychology. A recent study reveals tailored mental strategies significantly aid anxious performers. Highlights include effective techniques like pre-performance routines and acclimatization training. Discover how bi-weekly coaching led to lower heart rates, reduced anxiety, and increased confidence among participants. The discussion offers hope and actionable insights for those struggling with performance nerves. Tune in for practical tips that could change the way you approach performing!

Staying in a good mental and emotional state before performances is critical to playing up to our abilities when it counts. And we're probably going to be less likely to shy away from performance opportunities too, if we have more control over how we feel in the leadup to auditions and concerts.But how does one do this? What can we do in the hours and minutes before a performance to get into a good headspace?Get all the nerdy details here:How to Get Your Mind in the Right Place Before Going On StageReferencesWatanabe, A., Kondoh, S., Samma, T., & Fujii, S. (2025). Enhanced subjective performance achievement in wind instrument playing through positive memory recall: effects of sympathetic activation and emotional valence. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544069Registration begins soon! (9.21.2025 - 9.28.2025)Performance Psych Essentials: Work on practicing more effectively and performing more optimally alongside a global cohort of musicians, educators, and learners of all ages. Live 4-week class begins soon! (October 5 - November 2)More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses

When you think of practicing your instrument, what are some of the first words that come to mind? Are the words “fun” or “playful” anywhere on your list? 🤣For most of my life, practicing felt an awful lot like memorizing my multiplication tables. A lot of mind-numbing repetition, and not much fun.We know that mindless drudgery doesn’t make for very effective learning, of course - but what is the alternative? What might more playful practice actually look like?Enter today’s guest, Graham Fitch. He’s a pianist, but the ideas and concepts that he shares with us in today’s chat can be applied or translated to any instrument.So if you haven’t been learning music or improving overall as quickly as you would like, or your practice has felt stale or stagnant, I think today’s episode will help to revitalize your practice and scooch it a few notches in the direction of fun. 😜Get all the nerdy details on memorization, slow practice, fast practice, metronome practice, hands together vs. separate and more, in this month's episode:​Graham Fitch: On Playful Practice and Muscle Memory You Can TrustAdditional ResourcesGraham mentioned chaining and interleaved practice. Here's more on both of those concepts.How to do chaining: Jason Sulliman: On Why Fast, At-Tempo Practice Can Be More Efficient and Effective Than Slow PracticeHow to do interleaved practice: Why the Progress You Make in the Practice Room Seems to Disappear OvernightMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses

Ever worry that excellent performance might not be “good enough?” And maybe you've assumed that aiming for perfection is a safer bet? You’re not alone, for what it's worth! But it's always interesting to get some actual data on this sort of thing, so a team of researchers conducted a series of studies to see if striving for perfection had benefits beyond aiming for excellence. The results might surprise you.Get all the nerdy details:Does Aiming for Perfection Actually Hurt Performance?Additional resourcesRobert Duke: On the Value of Errors and How Learning Really WorksHow to Use Positive “Trigger Words” for More Expressive PerformancesIs There a “Best” Way to Teach Students to Play Expressively?ReferencesGaudreau, P., Schellenberg, B. J. I., Gareau, A., Kljajic, K., & Manoni-Millar, S. (2022). Because excellencism is more than good enough: On the need to distinguish the pursuit of excellence from the pursuit of perfection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 122(6), 1117–1145. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000411Gaudreau, P. (2019). On the distinction between personal standards perfec- tionism and excellencism: A theory elaboration and research agenda. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 14(2), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691618797940More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses

There are a lot of reasons why someone might decide to quit music at some point along the way. But could performance anxiety be one of them?Indeed, performance anxiety can feel pretty uncomfortable! And it’s one thing if we still sound pretty good on stage regardless, and have a positive experience of performing overall. But when we get nervous and sound like just a shell of ourselves in performance, it could make us wonder why we keep putting ourselves up there...So I was intrigued by a 2025 study which looked to see if deliberate practice might play a role in this equation between performance anxiety and performance success and thoughts about quitting. Check out the episode to see what they discovered!Additional linksDeliberate practiceSelf-regulated learningPractice That Sticks (self-paced course)ReferencesHash, P. M. (2021). Student Retention in School Bands and Orchestras: A Literature Review. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 40(3), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/87551233211042585Hatfield, J. L., & Williamon, A. (2025). Competitiveness and performance anxiety as predictors of performance success and intent to quit playing: deliberate practice as mediator and moderator. Music Education Research, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2025.2543376Hernández, S. O., Zarza-Alzugaray, F. J., & Casanova, O. (2018). Music performance anxiety. Substance use and career abandonment in Spanish music students. International Journal of Music Education, 36(3), 460–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761418763903Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a Self-Regulated Learner: An Overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage. Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice. Live and self-paced courses